Ethan followed.
She noticed.
“Why are you coming?”
“Because you're angry.”
“That is not pilot responsibility.”
“No.”
“It's self-preservation.”
Despite everything, she almost smiled.
Then stopped.
“Stay outside.”
Ethan looked at her.
“Victoria.”
“I need to do this.”
He nodded.
No argument.
“I'll be here.”
Those four words stayed with her as she entered.
Harold sat alone.
Thomas had already briefed him on counterfeit component.
Victoria closed door.
Harold looked exhausted now.
Older.
“What did you find?”
She remained near door.
“Tell me about NorthStar Technical.”
He went still.
One second.
Enough.
Victoria felt something inside her break cleanly.
Not loudly.
Almost peacefully.
Harold said:
“Vendor.”
“For?”
“Advisory.”
“What advisory?”
“Strategic risk.”
“Four hundred eighty thousand dollars.”
“Yes.”
“To shell company.”
“I didn't know it was shell.”
“Julian arranged?”
“Yes.”
Victoria stared.
“You're lying.”
Harold’s face changed.
“Careful.”
She laughed once.
Cold.
“Do you know what I hate most?”
“What?”
“You taught me how to recognize a bad lie.”
He stood.
“Victoria, this has gone far enough.”
“No.”
“It has finally gone far enough.”
She moved closer.
“You advocated for me when board wanted someone else.”
“Yes.”
“You defended me.”
“Yes.”
“You told me disability did not disqualify leadership.”
“I meant it.”
“Did you?”
He looked hurt.
That almost worked.
Almost.
Victoria continued.
“Or did you know I would remember that defense forever?”
Harold said nothing.
Her pulse accelerated.
“Did you approve NorthStar?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know Julian?”
“Yes.”
“Did you authorize maintenance?”
“No.”
“Did you pay him?”
“No.”
“Did you know what would happen over Pacific?”
“No.”
Victoria watched.
The first three answers felt controlled.
The fourth had been too fast.
She whispered:
“You did.”
Harold’s eyes hardened.
And there he was.
Not mentor.
Not ally.
Executive.
Opponent.
He sat again.
“Do you understand what Kestrel is worth?”
Victoria froze.
Harold continued.
“This company is overleveraged.”
“Your father hid it.”
“I stabilized it.”
“You accelerated acquisitions while cash flow weakened.”
“You insisted on independent accessibility redesign for every cabin in new fleet.”
Victoria stared.
He continued:
“Good policy.”
“Expensive policy.”
“You reopened union contracts.”
“You increased engineering spend.”
“You killed defense supplier deal because you disliked compliance exposure.”
“You have run this company according to principle while pretending principles do not cost money.”
Victoria’s voice remained steady.